Practice drum



Allg. 10, 1943. T, Q MQRARRE 2,326,305

PRACTICE DRUM Filed March 27, 1942 50 Inventor 5 Thomas Q Morarre Attorneys Patented Aug. 10, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `IRAIICE'I DRUM Y Y Thomas 0. Morarre, Washington, D. C.

Application March 27, 1942, Serial N0. 436,500

6l Claims.

This invention relates to drums and has particular relation topractice drums.

Practicing on drumsk which are intended for general or special use in connection with the production of music, is usually objectionable to others who may be in the vicinity. To' obviate this objection, practice drums are used. The usual practice drum, while the volume of sound is reduced, often has a more or less flat tone.

It is the yprimary object of this invention to produce an improved practice drum.

Another object of the-invention is the provision of an improved drum wherein, While the volume of sound is reduced, a good tone is retained.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a practice drum wherein there is an air chamber beneath the head with a single adjusting means for the tension of the head.

Avstill further object of the invention is the provision of a practice drum-wherein the head is evenly stretched and evenly gripped throughout its circumference'and over a chamber, with a single means for varying the tension on the head after it is in place.

Another and still further object of the invention is the provision of a practice drum wherein the drum head is tightened by means of a continuous groove and a projecting ange or ring which forces the head into the groove.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the complete specification.

Referring tothe drawing wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a modied form of the head-tightening means.

I'he reference character I designates the head of the practice drum which is held between the base member 3 and the rim member 2. The base member 3 is illustrated as a flat disk of wood upon which the other parts of the practice drum are mounted. The rim member 2 is illustrated as being of a ring shape and having an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the base member-3. The rim member 2 and the base member 3 are illustrated as being made of wood. However, they may be made of any suitable material.

In order to support the practice drum in a position convenient to be played, there is provided a Vsupport or stand member 4. This support member 4 is suitably secured to the base member 3 as by the screws 4a.

The Interior diameter of the rim member 2 is sufficiently large to provide space for the drum head I and also to receive the chambered member 5. This chambered member is provided with achamber or hollowed portion 5a which preferably has at its outer periphery, a, head-contacting edge 5b which is substantially a line and is in a plane.. This edge 5b which contacts with the head I, is the outer limit of the chamber 5a and forms the line on which the head I is stretched as the tension of the head is adjusted as will be described.

The rim member 2 and the base member 3 are provided with coacting means for stretching the head over the chambered member 5. These coacting means may be any one of a number of suitable means, two of which are illustrated, respectively, in Figs. 2 and 4. In the 4forrn shown in Fig. 2, an annular groove or channel 2a is provided to receive an annular strip 3a. This annular strip 3a may be made in one or more pieces or it may be made integral with the base member 3. As illustrated, the strip 3a is below the outer Iperiphery of the drum head and when the rim 2 and the base 3 are drawn together, the drum head will be stretched over the chambered member 5. l

In order to draw the rim member 2 and the base member 3 together, the screws 3b are provided. These are preferably put in from the bottom of the base member as illustrated in .Fig 3.

Between the chambered member 5 and the inner surface of the rim member 2, is an annular space 6 in which the portion of the drum head I, outward of that over the chamber 5a, is located. This space permits movement of the chambered member 5 for the purpose of varying the tension of the drum head I as will be presently described.

Centrally of the space 6 and in the base member 3 is a nut I in which is an adjusting screw 8 having a threaded shank 9. The shank portion 9 extends through the base member 3 and has its head exposed for turning by a screw driver. A suitable metal pad I0 is embedded in the inner side of the chambered member 5 for contact with the end of the screw 8.

The insertion of the head will be readily understood by one skilled in the art. After being dampened and with the chambered member 5 and the annular strip 3a in` place, the head part shown in'` Fig. 2."

is put in place and the rim 2 forced down over the chambered member 5, the screw 8 having been previously Withdrawn to permit the chambered member 5 to rest uponv theba-se member 3. As the rim member 2 and the base member 3 are drawn together, the annular strip 3a, binds thev drum head andpulls it tightly over the edge 5b. V

WhenV it is desireel'tnl prepare 'the drum for y playing the screw S is'adjusted to ferce the Vchamf bered member cutvareily unt-il that 'porti'n of the head l," over the" chamber Ytamis placed under sufcient tension to produce the desired tone and resiliency. VThe drum is then readyv for use.

In Fig. 4 which is a Vmodified form, the re-V 2. A practice drum` comprising a drum head, a relatively thin base member, a rim member, means coacting with the base member and rim member for stretching and clampingthe drum head to the basemember, a relatively thin chambered member beneath the head and adjustable means for pressing the chambered member ,against the drum head.

3. A practicev drum comprising a drum head, a relativelywthin baseumember, an annular rim fm'eiber, coasting neme-effi 'me rim and Y Ybase' member fer stretchi'g fthe he'ad, a chambered member beneath the head and adjustable ineans Yfor pressing the chambered member cess 102m of the rim member i'ji's of trianu' Y lar cross section. It will be notedthat theaninular member lega is similar in 'shapeto the annular groove or channel iia. In actual marV V,11.iac'ture, the annular member Misa can be cut frein me gram/eer k@Marmer'igraveren .me iat- 'te'r is As the case of therannu'lar member Cw., `the member lge. 4may or Hmay -r'ot be' one piecef:ff"it-Inlay beintegral vvitl Ithe base member. The i'fistallatienfcff the-head ?!'vaid the ignstient. fe" use i's the same 4in the structure shovvn'in Fig'jlas fo'r the Asame ie inventien have `been Y f in detail, it site be e adjusted tension.

` against the drum head.'

.4. A practice drum comprising a drum head,

relativelv'thin iiat base member, a rim memjber, means `coacting with the rim and base mem-V bers for stretching the head,a concave block member between the head and base member and means for adjustablyVpres-sing. the lbloei; against thhead. a I r 5.A practice drumieomprising a drum head,

a Yrelativelv thin fiatY base memberaanfannu'lar rimA -riemben means coacting'v'ith therim and base' members lfor stretching the'` head, a` concave Ablock member beneathV the head and having a Vnarrow eircul'ar line of con'taet therevvith and #means extending'thro'ulgh the basefmember for variab'ly adjusting the pressure of the Vblock against the drum head.

6. Apractice-drum comprising `'a drum head', a relatively thin `fiat base member, an annular rim member, Wedge means coactingtvith the and base Vmembers Vfor stretching the head-,ea block member beneath the drum head and having. -a thikneessnbstantially jeq'dal tothe rim member, `an adjustingscrew Vin the baser mem-Y ber, 'andeoacting 4Witl'ithe bleek member to vary the .pressnre-oi` the bleek` againstthe Ylliead to vary itetension andv` --fer.holding the head in nehme o. ixronait'en'.V 

